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I figure the best career angle for a psychologist is to specialize in interviewing serial killers and extracting crucial information from them without breaking the delicate bond you initially build via frank conversation about your past, your hopes, your dreams, and your fears.
You need to nerves of steel to not recoil in horror when they make some inevitable startling claim about eating a census worker's liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti, and make sure you came from some sort of intersting and challenging background in case any quid pro quo scenario arises. In fact it might even be wise to initiate this by running away or something at a young age if you believe this career track is good for you.
In all honesty, if it's your passion, follow it. There's more to life than money. If you follow your bliss, the money will come. If you follow the money, no matter how much you have, you won't ever have enough -- and it won't make you happy.
My husband has a degree in psychology and he regrets it a lot. It's very hard to find a job with that degree and pretty much to get any job in psychology you need a master's. He worked as a counselor for two years and the pay is pretty low. If you have a passion go for it, but if you are on the fence I'd research other options.
Also be sure to check your state to see what you can do. I discovered in my state that although I have a Masters, my degree is ineligible to sit for any licensure in my state because my Interns were done at the undergraduate level & not the graduate level. So they recommend that I go back to obtain a Masters in this state, but not to worry because many of my courses can be applied to my second Masters. I said thanks, but no thanks. I'm going to stick with my non profit plan & use contracted licensed psychologist. In my state I can work under a licensed psychologist. But its okay. My passion is really outreach. The Masters degree does help when I'm trying to market my classes someone on this board said marketing was important & they are right! Prior to my deciding to branch out & begin my own non profit (which I didn't just decide over night), I contracted with other agencies & organizations some were good others just wanted to take my program & duplicate it & dump me. Hey you live & you learn & some times at a higher cost than others.
I've been in the field as a psychoanalyst for a little over 5 years and have a Ph.D. It is a second career for me. I love the work with my patients in private practice but feel a bit weary already--over 60yoa. I'm working at writing a publishing so that I can have a more marketable practice and more creative work.
I think being "successful" (or maybe even employed) in the field of psychology is misunderstood by many. For example, if one does not plan to go on to graduate school, it is not the best idea to waste time getting a bachelor's in psychology. Sadly, you won't be able to do much more with a bachelor's in psychology than you could with a high school diploma these days. Additionally, there is little use in getting a master's degree in a non-clinical field in psychology. For example, I hear of people enrolled in online "general psychology" programs who have dreams of counseling youth, working in schools, opening up their own private practice. Wrong degree! Before entering the field of psychology, make sure to research exactly what is necessary for your career goals. I do think schools could do a much better job providing career counseling for prospective students.
I think being "successful" (or maybe even employed) in the field of psychology is misunderstood by many. For example, if one does not plan to go on to graduate school, it is not the best idea to waste time getting a bachelor's in psychology. Sadly, you won't be able to do much more with a bachelor's in psychology than you could with a high school diploma these days. Additionally, there is little use in getting a master's degree in a non-clinical field in psychology. For example, I hear of people enrolled in online "general psychology" programs who have dreams of counseling youth, working in schools, opening up their own private practice. Wrong degree! Before entering the field of psychology, make sure to research exactly what is necessary for your career goals. I do think schools could do a much better job providing career counseling for prospective students.
There are master's degrees in psychology that afford you a very good living.
an MA/MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology typically will get you a starting salary in the high 50s according to a recent SIOP survey.
Same for an MA/MS in Human Factors Psychology. Both are non-clinical areas.
There are online master's programs that lead to licensure as an LPC or LMHC (even an LMFT or LMSW), but you still need to do the practicum and internship.
I once thought about getting a master's in I/O psychology, but decided that it didn't interest me as much as other sub-fields of psychology or even some of the other social/behavioral sciences. Actually, I think I find all of the social/behavioral sciences more interesting than I/O psychology with the exception of economics.
There's tons of money in it if you charge people out their asses like my sister does...
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Before entering the field of psychology, make sure to research exactly what is necessary for your career goals. I do think schools could do a much better job providing career counseling for prospective students.
